Epilogue: Two Heart Beats, My Love
by KuroiWinter
Summary: Sharing a sentimental farewell is all very composed and whatnot, but a certain someone thinks there's a far better way to say 'thank you' . . .


_Two Heart Beats, My Love  
>~ Epilogue<em>

Just as he heard the train beginning to move, Ichigo realised a few rather important, but blatantly obvious, things. Since when did he ever listen to Rukia? And since when did he give a damn about what the Soul Society wanted? Or it's stuck up laws, for that matter.

Turning around, he raced down the stairs, taking them at least three at a time, and then he rushed towards the train, eyes fixed on Rukia's figure, still with her back turned to him, 'Kuchiki Rukia! Turn around _now_,'

The shinigami stiffened slightly, and there was a clear hesitation before she turned, violet eyes questioning, the slightest gathering of tears in the corners of her eyes. She moved over to the closed doors, eyes confused, brushing her face embarrassedly, 'What are you doing? Ichigo?'

'What the hell does it look like?' Ichigo had lost his slightly lethargic appearance and was now extremely fired up, 'I'm not letting you go again, Rukia! You'd be a complete idiot to think that,'

'Well,' she bit her lip slightly, 'You _are _on the wrong side of the door to be saying something like that,'

Ichigo tried and failed to open the door, which, considering that the train was moving, was expected, 'You know, you're very right. Isn't there an emergency open button somewhere in there?'

'What?' now Rukia was alarmed, and she almost lost her balance as the train lurched into a faster amount of motion, 'It's not an emergency!'

'I'd say it is,' having to run to keep up with the train which was really picking up speed, Ichigo tried to get her to hurry, 'Come on Rukia! You can't seriously believe all that crap about books and goodbyes and stuff . . . and I really think the Seireitei can send its laws to hell if I can't be with you,'

Looking about for the switch, since it seemed like Ichigo wasn't going to shut up, and people were staring, Rukia glared at him through the glass, 'Hey! Watch it! And Hell already has quite enough regulations without getting the Soul Society's too!' then she added, 'You know, this is exactly why I hurried to get _on _the train, you're acting like a complete fool again,' finally locating the emergency door opener, she hesitated, 'Are you seriously wanting me to do this?'

'Look,' Ichigo was running out of platform to run on, 'If I was on your side, I'd have already done it! You're so slow,'

'If you were on this side, we wouldn't have needed to find the stupid button in the first place!' forgetting that she was supposed to be supporting the goodbye and farewell thing, Rukia slammed her hand down on the button, yelling all the while.

As the doors snapped open, she realised that there was no way she was just going to be able to step out, 'So what now, smart-,'

'Just jump!' cutting her off, Ichigo held out his arms while still trying to run and make sure he didn't slam into the barrier at the end of the platform, 'Hurry!'

'This is insane,' wishing she could just turn into a shinigami and save herself the trouble, Rukia leapt from the train carriage.

For a second she honestly thought Ichigo would miss, because he _was _an idiot, and generally a clumsy one at that, but then he caught her, and she could've cried with relief.

As it was, there were fresh tears sliding down her cheeks, 'That was so dangerous, you fool,'

'Can't have been as bad as when I threw you at Renji,' Ichigo put her down, and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw that everyone who'd been in Rukia's carriage was trying to peer out the window at the, others even sticking their heads out the still open doors.

'No, this was definitely worse, at least I knew he'd catch me,' slightly breathless from the adrenaline rush she'd experienced, Rukia felt like collapsing, and it was only Ichigo's steady hold on her shoulders that kept her upright.

'Shut up,' not wanting to hear another word, Ichigo leant down and kissed her, and he was most glad that she kissed him back and didn't kick him or something like that. It had been a fifty fifty chance, really.

Seconds later, both of them realised that the people from the carriage that Rukia had recently left, were all clapping and cheering.

'I feel like I'm on a soap opera,' trying not to laugh or get embarrassed, Ichigo just half smiled at the cheerful people, some still dangerously hanging out the door, 'Don't you?'

'Well,' there was a mischievous not in Rukia's tone, and he glanced down at her, she laughed, 'Apart from the fact that I can't believe you watch soap operas,' she smirked slightly, 'The people in soap opera never kiss for only three seconds,'

'Oh really?' Ichigo gazed into her eyes, 'And here I was thinking _you_ only liked horror,'

'That's manga,' Rukia didn't wait for his retort. She might've swallowed it, but neither of them cared in the least.

_This __is __a __far __better __thank __you. __And __I__'__m __sorry __I __ever __thought __otherwise_.

To the continued chorus of cheers and applause, a slightly embarrassed Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia turned to ascend the stairs to ground level Karakura Town. Rukia didn't care that she'd skipped out on her mission, and Ichigo didn't care about anything in the whole wide world . . . except the petite shinigami beside him who was holding his hand.


End file.
